A new study, published recently in the American Heart Association’s journal STROKE, has provided interesting information that a single stroke incident robs the brain of almost eight years of healthy cognitive functions such as impairing memory and thinking speed. (1)
The study aimed to identify factors (in particular stroke incidents) that lead to disparities in cognitive decline between black and white people. Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed memory test and thinking speed data from 4,908 black and white participants older than 65 years from 1998 to 2012.
Focusing on 7.5% of black and 6.7% of white participants who had no recent history of stroke or cognitive issues, but who suffered a stroke within 12 years after their first survey and cognitive test in 1998, the researchers found that their cognitive test scores worsen significantly as though they were suddenly 7.9 years older.
The researchers also concluded that stroke does not affect the differences in cognitive decline between the two races.
These new findings underscores the importance of stroke prevention, i.e., taking preventive steps to reduce the risk of stroke regardless of race or ethnic backgrounds.
“We have always known that stroke affects the brain in a debilitating way, often causing temporary or permanently disability, and significant impairment of cognitive functions. This study for the first time says that once a person had a stroke, the brain immediately aged by 8 years ! As such, it is extremely important that one looks into ways to reduce the risk of stroke and hence, reducing the risk of cognitive decline , ” – ExcelVite.
Ways to reduce stroke risk include controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol level, abstain from smoking and involve in physical exercise.
In terms of nutritional supplements, recent research shows that bioenhanced natural full spectrum palm tocotrienol complex (EVNol SupraBio™) has beneficial effects in pre-stroke as well as post-stroke conditions.
A recent human study (published in the same journal, STROKE), involving 112 participants, shows supplementation of bio-enhanced full spectrum palm tocotrienol complex (EVNol SupraBio™) slows the progression of white matter lesions in the brain (2). White matter lesions or WMLs, are indications of fragile brain vascular network and an independent prognostic measure of future stroke risk.
NIH-funded post-stroke studies at The Ohio State University, using EVNol™ & EVNol SupraBio™ palm tocotrienol complex have provided invaluable insights into the various mechanisms and checkpoints that tocotrienol act upon to prevent brain cell death following a stroke incident (3,4)
In the following video, Prof. Chandan Sen gives an update on the initial findings of a human clinical trial conducted at The Ohio State University.
References:
1. http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2015/05/20/STROKEAHA.114.008156.abstract
2. http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/45/5/1422.long
3. http://www.nature.com/jcbfm/journal/v31/n11/full/jcbfm201185a.html
4. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01578629
Disclaimer: The statements in the above article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.